


Miles of Gray

by orphan_account



Category: Pocket Monsters | Pokemon (Main Video Game Series), Pocket Monsters: Black & White | Pokemon Black and White Versions
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Badass, F/M, On the Run, Romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2011-08-19
Updated: 2011-08-19
Packaged: 2017-11-14 06:21:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 10,988
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/512254
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>N finally decides to come home, but doesn't suspect that he could be walking into his own death by doing so.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> My obligatory "after game" fic of doom. Heh, more like me using N's head as my playground for awhile. If all goes well it'll turn into this big adventure/romance type thing. Also, I wanted an excuse to include a lot of characters. Also still, this is my first Pokemon fic EVER. Hope that's not painfully obvious. . Apologies if I fuck canon up. Many thanks to abarero for looking this over this brainsplosion for me. :3

_"So you'll choose to run away rather than make amends, after all we've been through?"_

_"No, you're the one who doesn't understand."_

_"You... coward."_

N spent much of his time in the skies upon Zekrom, gliding over plains and forests and oceans. It was the vantage point worthy of an overseer, which he had originally strived to become. He would have overseen the broken bonds between humans and pokemon, so that all of his friends could be free and perfect. However, his resolve to fulfill his former destiny had failed. It failed because it was all a lie. A terrible lie that hurt more pokemon than the people he had been opposing. He was no hero to the Unova region, just a menace. He thought he would be doing them a favor upon leaving, but then he would remember her words, which never failed to shake him.

Thunder rumbled overhead, and Zekrom took that as their cue to descend. It would shelter N's body with its wing, and where N initially found the idea outrageous and unacceptable, Zekrom bid he take up the offer. The human body was far more vulnerable to the elements than that of a legendary pokemon. Even so N kept his master ball handy, and if Zekrom showed even an ounce of discomfort then it would be ordered back inside. The enormous black dragon let out a most unsatisfied grunt, but would let its young hero have his way if he insisted.

N huddled up to Zekrom in a meager attempt at sharing warmth. Its reptilian skin was cold and hard as stone. It was a cold-blooded pokemon, which only exerted heat when threatened, or in a hot environment. The two of them traveled together for four seasons, mostly avoiding inhabited areas in favor of caves and tall grass. N needed to know more. He spoke with wild pokemon in a variety of different regions to get a better understanding of their relationship with humans. He challenged random youngsters and lasses and ace trainers to hear the voices of their pokemon. He engaged in unofficial battles with gym leaders, having no intention of participating in any sort of Pokemon League, yet he still needed to know the true thoughts and feelings of their pokemon.

He felt like he had failed the world when he lost to Hilda and Reshiram, when in reality it was Team Plasma itself that had failed the world. Even so, N was not entirely convinced. He needed to meet more good trainers, outside of Hilda and her circle of friends, outside of Unova. He needed to hear more voices delighted to be with their trainers.

Many trainers he had encountered were astounded by the pokemon of his native land. One lass that had lost to him in battle adored Vanilluxe, commenting that it reminded her of ice cream. A youngster with the world's most adored Rattata asked if he could pet Krookodile. Given the amount of love Rattata had for his trainer in return N didn't see a problem with that, but he left that up to Krookodile to decide.

N's pokemon outmatched those of so many of the trainers he had encountered, and he always felt a pang of guilt. In his spare time a few years prior N had come up with his own variation of Full Restore medicines with the help of an audino, using raw ingredients that were in greater abundance and safer to use than those sold in shops. N always had many on hand and always made more, so he always offered to heal the pokemon of each trainer he battled, including those of the gym leaders. Especially those of the gym leaders, most of which were more than receptive to N's quirks.

"I had a premonition about this very meeting soon after sensing great energy from the Unova direction. Would you mind showing me what you have in that master ball of yours?" asked a gym leader named Morty, upon having Gengar meet a swift defeat by Zoroark. As incredible as that display of power was, Morty's key interest was in that of legendary pokemon. Sensing N's apprehension, he explained in great detail why he had chosen to set up his gym in Ecruteak City. Not only would he keep his eyes wide open for legendaries, Ho-Oh in particular, but if need be he would make a point to keep them out of the wrong hands. Morty's newly healed Gengar confirmed this, as well as expressed a great deal of enthusiasm to help. N was on the verge of tears when he released Zekrom from the master ball, deeming Morty a human worthy of witnessing such splendor. Each encounter with a gym leader helped heal his heart, but he held this one especially dear, as well as another.

"You wouldn't happen to mind telling me what's in these medicines, would you?" asked a gym leader named Brock, who insisted that if anyone could "cook" it, it was him. The Onix that Brock used in battle showed a great deal of respect and love for his trainer. N was happy to disclose the information, because he knew that it would be in good hands. Not only was Onix sincere, but N was starting to develop a skill for perception of human character himself. He was just grateful that he had the foresight to never tell Ghetsis, or any of the Seven Sages about his medicine. They may have used his idea for their own profit and tainted the medicines with cheap, or impure ingredients, which just wasn't necessary.

"... " N had met his one defeat in the Kanto region by a trainer called Red, whose pokemon had seen more battles than grains of sand in the vast desert of Unova. The most shocking thing about this was that these were among the happiest pokemon N had ever seen. Their strength was brilliant, and was earned through hard work and experience. They were proud to have been raised above and beyond their potential. N felt that he could finally start to grasp what it was about battles that appealed to people.

Battles appealed to pokemon as well.

They truly did. There was a difference between training and abuse. Good, honest battles weren't about asking pokemon to inflict pain upon one another, but about helping them to grow in strength and raise to their potential. Battles didn't just make people feel worthwhile, but pokemon as well. Especially pokemon.

He asked his own friends if that was how they truly felt when they battled. They expressed feeling alive and strong and free to prove their worth. They respected those powerful enough to catch them and oversee their growth.

This was why Hilda and Reshiram won. She would become as powerful as Red in no time with her resolve, if not more so.

He thought and dreamed of her constantly. Though more than anything her parting words reverberated through him like a whismur's uproar. She asked N to join her on her dream, but he had already decided to flee Unova in the confusion so not to be a bother to the people any longer. Even now he didn't regret his decision. Everything he had learned was valuable, and he even made some new friends along the way. Human friends, too. He wanted to tell her all about it, but he wondered if she was still upset. It bothered him that his final memory of her were rosy cheeks run with tears, clenched fists, and anger.

They were both right. He needed to get away and learn about the world; however, he owed it to the people of Unova to own up to his mistakes and make amends. No longer would he be a coward. No longer would he hide from the inevitable.

As he thought this beams of sunlight started to crack through the gray clouds above. Zekrom had kept him dry during the short-lived storm, with not an ounce of discomfort to share. In fact, Zekrom seemed to be feeling refreshed. Perhaps being a half-lightning type made stormy weather appealing to it. Lately Zekrom had seemed restless, and all too eager to return to Unova as N was.

Before their departure, N pulled out a pocket knife from his few belongings and severed his ponytail from the base of his hair band. It was here that he bid farewell to his old self, who had spent far too long blinded, hiding rather, from the truth. He would rewrite his life based on all that he had learned on his journey. The first chapter would involve a reunion with Hilda, to whom he owed his everything. She was the first person to make him question the role he was thrown into. Her pokemon were the first he had seen that were truly happy to be along side a trainer. He was grateful for her resolve. Separating her from her pokemon would have been a tragedy.

So he and Zekrom took off, and in less than a day's time N was able to spot the western mountains of the Unova region. He was certain that, if he and Zekrom landed on Route 7 by the cover of night, they would go unnoticed. He would have to disguise himself and head for Nuvema Town by foot. He would stick out like a sore thumb riding an enormous black dragon, and who knew what kind of panic that would stir? Mistralton City was relatively isolated, and had to rely on the usage of devices called airplanes to deliver cargo. Long ago they had used pokemon to do so, but since airplanes took over pokemon were not made to work as hard, so N himself hadn't exactly paid special attention to the place. Hopefully the shorter hair was enough of a disguise until he could put together a better one.

However, he would have no such luck remaining unnoticed. Once the sun began to sink beneath the horizon, they were officially on (well, above) the territory of Unova. He heard the voice of a female call out to him. It was a very friendly voice, no doubt, but N could feel his insides run cold the moment he had heard it. There was no denying who he was as long as Zekrom was in plain sight.

So N did the only thing he could think to do. He told Zekrom to stop. If he fled, there would be rumors. If he negotiated then he could perhaps slip by. It was his only chance.

"And here I thought we'd have a race," said the woman upon a beautiful unfezant, her long, magenta hair billowing in the breeze. "How disappointing."

"You're Skyla, the gym leader of Mistralton City," said N. Only one such as she would presume to engage in a race between a legendary dragon and an unfezant. "I don't suppose pretending you haven't seen me is in order."

"You got that right. King of an organization bent on stealing and releasing pokemon. Rather, enslaving them to build a fortress beneath the Pokemon League. You've got a bounty on your head the size of a wailord. Team Plasma's still the talk of the region.

"None of that really matters, though," she said with a chortle. His complexion snapped from pale to dumbfounded in an instant. "I was right there, you dope. Unfezant and I showed those no good sages what's what with our acrobatics. Then Hilda returned and told us all what happened. She urged all of us to keep an eye out for you, in case you returned someday."

"I see." N had to smile at that. Regardless of which fate laid before him now, it warmed his heart to know that Hilda was thinking of him. He felt incredibly foolish at first, choosing this part of Unova to enter, though if what Skyla said was true he would have been caught no matter what. A number of those encounters could have been less friendly than this one, he reasoned. "Do you intend to place me under arrest?"

"Get real, mastermind. There's only one trainer in Unova powerful enough to take down Zekrom. Speaking of which, may I?"

She held out her hand to N, and where he was confused at first he could sense the exhaustion in the voice of Unfezant. He didn't hesitate to pull her on board afterward. She recalled her unfezant at once, trusting N not to try anything dirty. Hilda had assured her that, although N was at war with himself, he was by no means a loose canon the way Ghetsis was. Not to mention passing up an opportunity to hitch a ride on a legendary pokemon, particularly an airborne one, was just plain out of the question.

"Woooooow! Wow wow wow, how cool!"

"Eheh." As much as he appreciated how distracted from the issue Skyla seemed to be at the moment, N couldn't help but feel his patience wane a bit. Apparently the entire region saw him as a criminal. That was to be expected. What he didn't expect was to get an earful about the power of wings, the capabilities, the inspiration, all caused by one dragon flapping in place. She kindly asked Zekrom to glide, but it took orders only from N, who reluctantly gave the OK. Once her awe over the smoothness of the ride dwindled N asked her, "if you do not intend to arrest me then what do you intend to do?"

"Deliver you," she said, as though what she meant by that were the most obvious thing in the world. N noticed that twilight had come and gone, and darkness had begun to envelop the sky. "It kills me to do this, but playtime's over. Ask Zekrom to make its decent now. Route 7 should be deserted enough.

"Please do as she says, my friend." Zekrom groaned and descended rapidly. Skyla howled with glee as N clutched his pokemon for dear life. Any faster and the two of them would be flung overboard, though Zekrom seemed to sense that this nose dive toward Route 7 was exactly what Skyla wanted.

When they landed she hopped down from the legendary beast positively glowing with delight. She urged its face toward hers and stroked it, thanking it for an unforgettable experience.

N recalled his dear friend back into its master ball at once and smiled. Zekrom took a real shine to her, but it needed its rest now.

"Where exactly do you intend to deliver me?"

"I think you know," said Skyla, grinning as mischievously as ever. "You can spend the night at my place, but be prepared to get up before the first pidove crows. Unfezant will take you where you need to go."

"You would entrust your friend to me, even after everything that I've done?" N hoped that he didn't come across as ungrateful, but it struck him as strange that Skyla was so willing to put her trust in a criminal. Granted N knew for himself that he would never cause any intentional harm to a pokemon outside of battle. Unfezant would be safe in his hands. However, how could she trust him not to steal it? Was this all just a trap?

"More like I trust Unfezant to peck out your eyeballs if you try anything funny."

N gulped. Not that he could picture a pokemon actually doing that, but she seemed awfully confident that whatever she had in mind would go according to plan. He supposed he was stuck being at her mercy for now. Zekrom really took to her, so he supposed he ought to as well.

Sleep abandoned him as quickly as it came. Though his travels admittedly left him exhausted to the bone, she began to appear in his dreams. Hilda had her back to him, and she was walking away. No matter how loud he cried out to her, and no matter how fast he ran to catch up, she was too far out of reach. The snivy on her shoulder swung its tail back and forth like a pendulum, and he could even hear ticking. That turned out to be an old clock in the guest bedroom. N's entire body had uncomfortable coat of sweat, and no matter how much he tossed and turned, how much he concentrated on his breathing, or how many cottonee he counted, there was no falling back asleep.

He was the one that walked away. She tried to catch him. She tried to make him turn around.

He continued to walk away. As far as Hilda was concerned, he was probably walking farther still, no longer even a speck on the horizon. Had he hurt her? The image of her tear-strewn eyes never left his mind. Of course he had hurt her. Pain was a universal language that N was very fluent in. Though he regretted nothing, he hoped that she would find it in her heart to forgive him.

The rest of the night for N was a very restless off and on sleep. Before he knew it Hilda was peering down at him. He jerked wide awake only to find that the face hovering above his was actually Skyla's. He hoped that the disappointment he felt wasn't visible.

"Time wash your face and get a move on. The sun's gonna be up soon."

He did as he was told, then met Skyla and Unfezant on the outskirts of Mistralton City. The sky was still speckled with stars, though was melting into blue. Soon this city would be bustling with people, and N would be long gone.

"You know what to do, Unfezant. Nimbasa and back. Try not to go too fast, now."

Unfezant cooed and continued to nuzzle her head in her master's hand until she bent down so that N could climb aboard. It was unusual for this particular species of pokemon to be large enough for a grown person to ride upon its back, though N managed on his knees. Skyla had honestly expected him to travel safely upon a bare-backed unfezant all the way to Nimbasa City. The chances of him falling at some point were great, though he supposed that, if her intentions were good, Unfezant would catch him before he could hit the ground.

Before N could confirm that they had taken off into the sky, and N was clutching her feathers for dear life. Perhaps she would hold her own in a race against Zekrom. Once she had stopped ascending and started to glide forward he could ease into the ride a little bit. It wasn't anywhere near as comfortable as flying upon the back of Zekrom, and he found himself apologizing for the damage he had caused to her plumage. She cooed dismissively, reasoning that Skyla would just preen her and give her extra feed later.

They hadn't run into any incident worth mentioning along the way, and only made one pit stop. Flying for two was tiresome, though Unfezant proved to have a remarkable amount of endurance. It feasted on bugs and drank lots of water, and N helped himself to two handfuls of water, munched on a single apple and called it a meal, not wanting to waste anymore time. The second time back up in the air was less terrifying than the first, though N did find himself missing the vast expanse of Zekrom's back once more. Not having leg room did a number on his knees, though for the sake of remaining unnoticed he pressed on.

The pair of them reached Nimbasa City well into the afternoon, and N bid his new friend farewell. Unfezant pressed her head against his cheek once, then took off toward the west, bound for Mistralton City.

The cheerful splendor of this city had certainly dulled since he had last laid eyes upon it. For one he hardly saw any people around, and the ones he did happen to pass seemed eager to get home.

N reached the foot of the old ferris wheel, currently out of commission and under repair. A chill from the air filled his blood with ice, and he could smell a promise of rain in the air. Unfezant had chosen an awfully curious spot in Nimbasa to drop him off. This was the second time he stood before this magnificent machine. He felt bold enough to pour his heart out to Hilda on this very ferris wheel. She was practically a stranger at the time, but he felt that her knowing his identity would be beneficial somehow. He felt the need to make her a part of his dream, and she had been receptive. Their viewpoints were completely different, but that never fazed her. She was content to see him as just another rival that served to bring her closer to the top.

Somehow, he had become part of her dream instead.

From his left he could hear the sound of running shoes slapping against the pavement, and panting followed. He didn't have to turn to know who it was, though he felt it was appropriate to face his fate. She had waited long enough.

"You... " she managed to sputter out, but she was just too short of breath to say anything more. She clutched her knees and took a few moments to regain her strength. Her brow was dripping and her cheeks were rosy as the petals of a lilligant. She was taller, her hair was longer, and she was just as pretty as ever. He wondered if it would be all right to touch her shoulder. Some girls liked that, but others got mad.

"I'm home," said N, though the look that she gave him was nothing short of shocked. Perhaps even horrified. He stopped smiling then. Whatever she was, she was anything but glad to see him. That much was certain.

"You're in big trouble if anyone recognizes you," said Hilda, taking him by the hand. "Come with me. Don't say anything."

N complied, swallowing a lump in his throat that he didn't even know was forming.

TBC


	2. Chapter 2

In a blur N was rushed to a small house roughly two blocks away from the Pokemon Center. Hilda's face was scrunched in the same manner of fierce determination as it was in each battle they shared, though N was fairly certain that a pokemon battle was the farthest thing from her mind at the moment. Hilda threw open the front door and dragged N up the stairs by the cuff of his sleeve, not bothering to remove her shoes, or voice her arrival. It seemed very much like she wanted to keep N as hidden as possible, and where he could understand the severity of the situation, it was quite unlike anything he had imagined their inevitable reunion to be.

She managed to calm down once they reached a bedroom, closing the door behind her and taking a deep breath. There was one chair in the room, and she bid that he take it while she seated herself upon the bed across from him. The air in the room was stale, all curtains drawn, beige walls covered in pictures. There were several photos of a scraggy and what appeared to be its trainer, a brown-haired boy roughly Hilda's age with a black and red cap. It seemed obvious to N that this boy was the owner of this room. Before he could think to say anything she punctuated the silence with a thoughtful sigh. He was sure that she had much to say, but perhaps didn't know where to begin.

"Hey," called a male from the door. It creaked open, and none other than the boy in the pictures walked through the door. That answered one of N's questions at least. He rubbed the back of his head and grinned. "Could you at least introduce me to the strange guys you drag into my house, Hilda?"

"Didn't you hear a word of what Skyla said earlier on the cross-transceiver?" said Hilda, quirking a brow at him. "Honestly, you're hopeless.

"Fine. Hilbert, N. N, my cousin Hilbert, dork extraordinaire." She glared at Hilbert. "Now if you'll excuse us."

"Whoa, whoa. Take it easy. There's not a guy in this world who'd feel comfortable about his kid cousin getting cozy with her boyfriend in his bedroom."

"That's twin cousin, doofus, and he isn't my... oh never mind, just get out! This is serious." You know why, were the unspoken words that floated in the air, because immediately Hilbert's mouth drew into a firm line, and he nodded and backed out of the room. Their banter was endearing, and N found that his discomfort had subsided somewhat in that brief moment. So Hilda had a twin cousin that also loved pokemon.

"Sorry about that," said Hilda, turning her attention back to N. "He and I were gonna head for the battle subway today and break our record. We... I didn't expect you of all people to show up out of the blue. This is insane! Why?"

Her words had a piercing effect on him that the words of most others just weren't capable of. So he had guessed correctly, much to his dismay, that Hilda had not wanted him to return. It was all in the way she jabbed that one fatal word. Why? That was a good question. N had the foresight to leave Unova in all of the confusion. Why was he foolish enough to return to where he clearly wasn't wanted? Why did Hilda's words shred every ounce of logic and reasoning in his thoughts? Why? Why indeed.

"I couldn't forget you," said N. "Your words, from the day you defeated me and crushed the very cause I lived for. You said that I was running away without making amends. You called me a coward."

The weight of the silence in the room made Zekrom feel like a feather. First Hilda seemed stunned by what he had said, almost as though it were her first time hearing of this. Then she ducked down her head, eyes obscured by the bill of her hat. She was clenching and unclenching the edge of the mattress, nails scratching against the fabric. Her breaths grew slower and deeper by the second. He wondered briefly if she would cry, just like she had back on that day. She had a way of wearing her heart on her sleeve, where most other people N had come to know were far more reserved. Even so, the last thing he wanted to do was make her cry again.

"It's not that I'm not happy to see you." She placed her right hand on her chest and peered directly into his eyes. "But this is seriously bad."

"Because I'm an outlaw. Skyla explained the situation to me already."

"That's not even the half of it."

Hilda launched into a long explanation regarding her pursuit of the Seven Sages with Looker. She managed to find six, all of which were placed under surveillance after their questioning. All Looker wanted was the true story about Team Plasma, what their motives were, how they were planning to achieve their goals, what their plans were now that their scheme had been abolished, and other various things. He had let the sages go on minor charges for being cooperative.

Some people were infuriated with Team Plasma, though, enough to storm the Pokemon League and demand to know what had happened to their stolen comrades. Upon closer inspection the castle of Team Plasma was nothing short of a nightmare. Hilda had warned N to brace himself for this part, because simply speaking caused her audible pain at this point. He thought he was prepared for anything upon his return to Unova, but now he wasn't so sure.

"Over a thousand pokemon were found, about a third of them were already dead." She took a deep breath and continued. "Most of them were injured, malnourished, and dehydrated. All of them mistreated. People... they were so outraged.

"On enough counts of pokemon cruelty, by Unovan Law the leader of Team Plasma must... must be detained and sentenced to death if found. Every c-city and town has agreed to these terms."

Hilda's words were halted by tears, one after another streaming down her face. This was only the second time N had known her to break down in such a way, and he could feel his own outrage well up behind his own stormy gray eyes as well. He knew his life as Team Plasma's king was a complete lie. It was a hefty weight to bear, yet he hadn't truly borne it. He had simply run away and hidden from his responsibility after all. As a result he had failed his friends miserably.

Hilda had a copy of the newspaper article to confirm what she had said, and he read it over and over until the tears prickling in his eyes obscured the words. It was a complete nightmare. Testimonies of the trainers were full of sorrow and outrage. A lady with a parasol lost an audino. A youngster cradled a sandile in his arms as it took its last breaths, water and medicine doing nothing at all to help it. Worst of all was the total list of casualties. Seventy-six patrats alone were found dead. This was all thanks to the group N claimed to be the king of. He felt cold and ill, as though the very hands of death now wanted a taste of him.

And why shouldn't those hands get just that? As king it was N's responsibility to oversee the happiness and well-being of all pokemon. He had failed, in every possible way a single human being could fail. He was the very scum he thought he was fighting against. He was to blame for every bit of this.

"How could I have let this happen? Of... of all the... "

N struck the desk beside him with his fist and wanted to scream. This was all too much to take in at once. Ghetsis and the grunts were supposed to liberate those pokemon, so that they could thrive in their natural habitats and be free. That's what he was promised, and he trusted them. He believed so strongly in his cause that he risked the very foundations of Unova just to revive Zekrom. He never questioned them, and he never came across the pokemon that were being abused by Team Plasma itself. Ghetsis told him it was his responsibility to stay in his room and care for needy pokemon, something N wouldn't think to question. He was so foolish. So completely dense. A failure. A worthless, savage nobody.

"Hypnosis," said Hilda, choking on her own sadness. He didn't hear her call out Musharna, but he welcomed it. Hilda was just and had a heart he somehow found he could trust. Whatever it was she chose to do with him was just fine. On that thought he had succumb to the intense sleep waves being cast his way, and fell into Hilda's arms as she caught his sleeping body. Most of him assumed that she would hand his unconscious form over to the authorities and wash her hands of him once and for all. He wouldn't have blamed her.

As Hilda moved N's body to the bed, Hilbert chose that moment to enter the room once more, his expression downcast and disconsolate. Hilda was hoping that her cousin wouldn't hang around for this particular conversation. This subject matter affected him personally, and once she managed to get N into a comfortable position on the bed she clutched her cousin's arm and leaned her head into his shoulder.

"You afraid he's going to turn himself in, Hilda?"

The silence said it all.

"Why don't you go for a walk? When he wakes up, I'll talk to him."

She agreed reluctantly to leave Hilbert alone with N. There was a lot that she needed to figure out, as she was often the one that had to do the rational thinking. A bike ride in the spring weather was just what she needed, and Hilbert watched through the window as she took off. The silence that followed was awkward at best. He chose to pass the time by pulling out a deck of cards and calling forth his audino. Four hours of black jack and a six-pack of lemonade later Hilbert had to use the bathroom, so he asked Audino to watch N. No sooner had he left did the distraught young king start to twitch back to consciousness.

The first thing N noticed was that his head was sore, and his skin was like ice all over. He recalled being put to sleep by a pokemon, though normally the effects of Hypnosis wore off after an hour at most, but night had fallen now. N hadn't eaten or slept much, and it was a good thing that he hadn't because he was so ill with grief he could vomit. He hadn't been turned into the authorities, so logically Hilda hadn't intended to turn him in. Was she perhaps trying to... protect him? The way that Skyla had? That just didn't seem right. He was a criminal, a fugitive. Why should these kind people risk their images, their very lives, just to harbor him? He had never felt more useless.

Upon waking up he was greeted by a cheerful audino, who smiled and encouraged him to sleep more if he wished. Apparently he hadn't won all of the berries from Hilbert that he wanted to yet. There were cards lying in a perfect deck in the middle of the floor, but no people to be found. Just this audino, whose voice was sweet and caring, like sunshine in the form of sound.

N reached over to pat the audino, but immediately thought against it. Its eyes shot toward him inquisitively, and N placed a hand upon his shredded heart.

"Please excuse me. I am not worthy of your friendship. I'll... leave all of you alone now."

He didn't know where it was that he legs were taking him, and he was drowning out the voice of the pokemon pleading with him to stay. No. Didn't he understand? There was no place among warmth and family and pokemon that a traitor like N deserved to be. Hilbert must have understood. He didn't want N hanging around with Hilda, and Hilda wasn't there. There was no place for him. The only thing he deserved was... was...

As he reached for the door someone had already pushed it open, nearly knocking him backward. Hilbert apologized, but closed the door behind him and leaned against it, forbidding the former king to leave. Audino embraced his trainer's leg, and Hilbert absently stroked the top of his head. Hilbert's full attention was on N, and the weight of his gaze rivaled that of the weight of N's grief. There was a story behind those eyes, similar to Hilda's in their shape and intensity, different in their color and how much they revealed.

"Going somewhere?" said Hilbert, as though accusing N of some foolish crime. There was nowhere to go from here, so N just shook his head and remained where he stood.

"When Hilda first told me about you-" He had to pause and collect his thoughts even more, inhaling and stroking the back of Audino's ear with his thumb. "-I thought that she'd lost her mind.

"Team Plasma... I'll never forgive them!"

The knuckles on his free hand turned white with rage, and Audino buried his face against the pocket of his trainer's gray cargo pants, letting out a bereaved mewl. N braced himself for yet another earful of how he had failed his friends. Perhaps this time he would be urged to pay for what he had done.

Hilbert's first pokemon was a scraggy, which he received at the age of fourteen. His father bred pokemon for reputable trainers, and this scraggy was the seventh egg of his scrafty Lyon, a pokemon Hilbert played with whenever he was lonely. He named his scraggy Kuro, and father told Hilbert to take good care of it. He and Kuro trained hard, hoping to someday enter the Pokemon League and become champions of Unova.

One day Kuro had an accident. It had headbutted something sharp and wound up with a gash over its right eye. Though he rushed Kuro to Nurse Joy immediately, she told him that, although Kuro himself would be okay, the wound would definitely scar. Ever since then Hilbert saw to it that Kuro never used a headbutt attack again. He did his best to train his pokemon with heart and kindness; however, one day he had been approached by plasma grunts who noticed Kuro's scar. They accused Hilbert of abusing his pokemon, had their watchogs cast hypnosis on Kuro and himself. When he came to Kuro was gone, as well as his other pokeballs. Hilbert, in his devastation, reported to the police immediately. Similar stories of pokemon abduction had been reported to the Nimbasa City police. Nacrene City, Castelia City, and pretty much all other cities with pokemon gyms had especially reported pokemon theft. Hilbert was terrified that he would never see his pokemon again.

It was around that time that he had learned of Hilda's journey to the Pokemon League. He urged her to rescue his pokemon if they were being held captive. She said she'd do her best.

Hilbert hoped that they were at least being fed and cared for. After all, if Team Plasma was bent on liberation for the well-being of pokemon then they obviously cared for pokemon, right? He couldn't have been more wrong. Two seasons went by where he had been parted from his pokemon, but Hilda, Champion Alder, and the gym leaders of Unova had managed to liberate N's Castle beneath the Pokemon League, only to dig up the ugly secrets that laid within.

"All of the people that had pokemon stolen from them were urged to come and identify their pokemon. I was... " His throat was raw with remorse, although it probably wasn't his first telling of this tale. N was almost certain as to where this story would wind up, and were he not already frozen with heartbreak he would have broken down. He was sharing a roof with an eyewitness account of the devastation caused in his name. "I was... lucky, you know. I found Audino." He gave the pokemon that wept against his pocket a gentle squeeze. "Vullaby was severely dehydrated, but managed to pull through with the help of the doctors. But...

"Kuro. There were a lot of scraggy. They made good workers apparently, and were nowhere near as tough as scrafty, so they couldn't fight back. I recognized Kuro immediately. He was still alive, but barely. I thought he would make it, but it was... just too late. I only had enough time to say goodbye."

N figured, though that made it no easier. An apology of some sort burned somewhere in his throat, but he simply couldn't find the words. His head continued to pound, overwhelmed by the reality he had come home to. He was born to be a hero, or so he was told. Zekrom chose him and everything, but even that couldn't possibly take away from the fact that he was as bad as bad guys got. Hundreds of pokemon died in his name. Hilbert's pokemon died in his name. Could this be why Hilda hadn't turned him in to the authorities? Did she think Hilbert was more justified in doing so?

Hilbert ducked down his head and pressed the palms of his hands against the door. His bangs obscured his eyes, his breathing turned jagged and heavy. There were no more words to convey how hurt he was, but the silence said plenty.

Audino's morose blue eyes met N's, pleading with him to do something, anything. His master told this story many times. He told it to anyone who would listen: friends, family, the authorities, the press, anyone. Anyone who could help him avenge his departed friend. N would help, too, somehow, if there was any way he could.

"I am to blame for the loss of your friend," kneeling before Hilbert like a prisoner who had accepted his fate. "All of it is my fault. I'm ready to assume responsibility for my actions."

Hilbert turned his forlorn gaze toward the former king, eyes red and searing. He was ready for justice.

TBC


	3. Chapter 3

"He has been spotted," said the leader of the Plasma Hunters through the static of Flare's cross-transciever. Rather than have his face shown, there was a red "P" symbol with two swords crossed through it which represented their organization. Flare, her brother Corona, and their quiet yet reliable new member Chromos all wore that symbol upon their tan uniforms with pride. They were like great knights ready to charge into battle. The world would come to associate the Plasma Hunters with justice and vengeance, and it would all start with capturing the vicious and ruthless former king of Team Plasma, N.

"Right, let's do this!" shouted Corona through the static. His face was starting to flicker out, too, as though there were some sort of disturbance. A lovely rain had started not too long ago, though if a storm kicked in then things could get dangerous. N had one of the world's most powerful pokemon at his disposal, the legendary Zekrom. A storm would only supplement its phenomenal abilities. They had to detain him before he even had an opportunity to call out that beast, or they didn't stand a chance.

"Don't get carried away, brother," said Flare, pulling her net ball from her belt. "We have to be smart about this. One small miscalculation and we will fail."

"Tch." Was all he had to say to that.

"Are you ready?" said their leader.

Corona pumped his fist, Flare agreed, and Chromos nodded once.

"Good." And with that their leader blinked out, as did the rest of them. A bolt of lightning tore through the sky and the rain was starting to come down in sheets. They had to work quickly and immediately, though Flare couldn't help but feel that there was something not quite right. The Plasma Hunters had been tipped off by an anonymous source in Mistralton City. How could this person have known that N would be headed toward Nimbasa? More importantly, why didn't they take this matter to their gym leader? Flare did not like information that was full of holes. Trouble laid at the bottom of every hole.

Even so, she was given an order to capture N. That was all she needed to concentrate on.

"Scolipede," she said, releasing the enormous red bug from the confines of its netball. "N is headed toward Black City." She hopped on its back. "We have no time to waste."

Hilda's boots pounded the soaked pavement on the street back to her cousin's house. As the thunder cracked the sky a chill in her heart that matched the chill in the air exploded through her. She knew she shouldn't have left them. After a talk with Elesa she spotted a familiar, tall silhouette in the distance, and not a moment afterward did her cross-transciever jingle. It was Skyla.

"White, get Gray out of there as soon as possible. It's gonna get hairy."

That was all she said before winking out. From Hilda's understanding Skyla tried to keep N's presence as inconspicuous as possible. Unfortunately she wasn't the only Mistral that practically lived in the sky, and warned Hilda not to keep N in any one place for too long, just in case. It made Hilda sick to her stomach how bloodthirsty some people were. She found it difficult to even visit Castelia City anymore, considering that every street light and alley had a mug shot of N and the bounty on his head. Burgh couldn't apologize enough to her, knowing her side of the story, yet being unable to change people's hearts in his position.

They all took great risks by being on her side. Every gym leader in Unova believed her story and agreed to help her. Even the trio in Striaton, despite not even being at Team Plasma's castle. They could all be criminalized, too, for harboring a dangerous fugitive, though not a one so much as batted an eyelash at the challenge. All of them were so strong.

The moment she reached Hilbert's door she knew that what she saw on her way back from the gym wasn't just her eyes playing tricks on her. Her cousin was staring blankly at the water droplets bouncing off the porch.

She didn't even have to ask, though she did anyway. "Where is he?"

"He's gone," said Hilbert, in an even tone that suggested that he had rehearsed this very moment. Hilda's fists balled, and she took a deep breath.

"Why? How?"

"I let him choose whether to stay, or go. He went."

Liar.

"Oh no," said Hilda, shaking her head frantically. "No, no, no, no. This is seriously bad. Idiot! Why would you let him go?"

"Why not?" he uttered through barred teeth. At least he was no longer playing innocent here. Even so, it took everything Hilda had not to just pummel him. "The guy's a criminal and he knows it. Shit, he was their king! He finally wants to take some responsibility. All the better if he turns himself in."

Hilda's fist grew a life of its own and smashed into his jaw, knocking him clear off his feet. He glared at her wide-eyed, yet enraged, as though he had just been betrayed. She towered over his frozen body said, "That's where you're wrong. He's a scapegoat. Always has been. If he turns himself in, he'll die. Then the real mastermind behind Team Plasma will win. If you of all people don't get that then this world really has gone to hell."

She turned tail and left. No matter what she couldn't allow N to turn himself in. It wasn't about absolving him from guilt. Far from it. Hilda, more than anyone, wanted N to own up to his mistakes and dedicate his life to fixing them. She was naive enough at the time to believe that the region would afford him that chance. He wasn't being a coward, though. He was being smart when he left.

She hoped that it wouldn't come to this, but she grabbed the band he wore on his right wrist as a precaution before she left. She sent out Serperior, who was both fast and could track down N's scent. She also sent out Zebstrika, who could keep up with Serperior faster than her on her bike. He was headed east toward Black City, oddly enough.

"N, please don't do anything stupid," she uttered to herself. It was a real shame that it had come to this, her bolting through a wicked storm in an effort to save him. She still couldn't figure out what he had to gain from returning. From what she gathered, he felt that he still had some sort of superficial attachment to her. Under normal circumstances she would have found that endearing. He always had a certain charm that she just couldn't put her finger on, though the foolish things that he did and said really took away from it. He just wanted to do the right thing, though constantly went about it in the wrong way.

Speaking of what there was to gain, she'd be lying if she denied contemplating what she had to gain by helping him. Hilbert wasn't entirely wrong, as N wasn't entirely innocent. Even so, N wasn't a threat to Unova anymore. The fact that he had to own what had happened to all of those pokemon was more than punishment enough if you asked her. And no matter what she had to stick with the plan.

Not long after N's disappearance did Hilda and former champion Alder prepared a plan for the day of N's return, should that day ever come. It was because the authorities of Unova became thirsty for his blood. She was devastated by this. Not only was her account of the events from that horrible day completely disregarded, but if N was found and convicted he would be put to death. Cheren was the one who recommended that she discuss matters with Alder, and she wasted no time in doing so.

Much to her relief, Alder, perhaps more than anyone, believed that N's charges were much too severe. The only thing his death would serve to do is set an example, though tactics like that didn't always work, especially on one as wicked and driven as Ghetsis. Ghetsis was the real mastermind behind Team Plasma. If N, the so-called "king" were to die, Ghetsis would fade into obscurity. Not only would all of the lost pokemon go un-avenged, there would be nothing to stop Ghetsis from rising again. Who would the people have to blame then?

Hilda and Alder made an agreement. If N returned, they would help him escape. With any luck N would catch the national news and know to stay away. However, it was something Hilda said in a selfish fit of rage that inspired him to return, so it was her responsibility to protect him at all costs.

\---

N dragged his feet through the mud, unsure of where they were taking him. He promised Hilbert that he would make things right, and left without another word. N was responsible for Kuro's death. It must have killed Hilbert to harbor him for as long as he had.

N just didn't have the answers for this. He wanted to live and make the world a better place for pokemon. For as long as he could remember he simply knew that it was his purpose in life. He once had an idea of how to achieve such a perfect world. Now? He was completely lost. He even wondered if his very life was a menace to pokemon. Would the world really be a better place without him? There was no way of knowing. Every action has an infinite amount of possible outcomes.

There was only one thing that he knew for sure.

He didn't want to die.

With that in mind, the ground began to shake beneath his feet, and he could hear an ear-splitting screech. He threw his hands over his ears, squeezed an eye shut, and searched the perimeter for the source of the noise. Whatever pokemon this was, it was both large and powerful. Too powerful to be wild.

Somebody was after him.

N released Zoroark from its pokeball at once. He had it cast Night Daze in the direction of the invisible Screech attack, hoping to throw this pokemon off guard. There was distinct clicking to the screech, characteristic of bug type pokemon. Also, seeing as this particular bug caused the earth to shake then its size was bound to be as impressive as its power. There was only one fairly common Unovan bug type that fit this description.

"Please stop this, Scolipede," N called out into a wilderness that was now as silent as it was dark. "I don't want to fight."

No sooner had that plead left his lips did he receive a response in sarcastic clapping, followed by a line of trees going up in flames despite the rain. The figure of a slim woman walked out of those flames with a scolipede and a golurk on tow, the latter of which couldn't be terribly comfortable in the weather despite the tough front it put on. The woman's lips were pursed in a firm line, as though the very thought of a smile was lost on her, though she was feeling oh so inclined to mock him regardless. Her bangs dripped in the downpour, and another shot of lightning ripped through the sky. Pokemon were fleeing from the flaming woods left and right, and many cries split the sky with the lightning. Whoever this was, they were no good.

"I am Flare, a Plasma Hunter. If that's an unconditional surrender, N Harmonia, then I'll have you follow me," said Flare, beckoning N with her outstretched palm.

"Sorry, but I'm not sure what a Plasma Hunter is," he said, and with a roar he added, "and I absolutely won't take orders from someone who destroys the homes of innocent pokemon!"

"Oh this?" She cocked her head toward the fire, crossed her arms, and shook her head. "I'm simply driving them away from the area. Because I will tear this area to shreds if it means subduing the most notorious criminal in Unovan history."

N swallowed, then coughed once overcome by the awful heat and burning. He recalled Zoroark at once and would have Krookodile do something to subdue the flame before anymore damage could be done. If need be it had the type advantage over golurk, though he could tell that Flare's pokemon were incredibly powerful. There was probably no way he could fight the fire and win at a pokemon battle simultaneously, especially since he had no desire to hurt his friends. His hand trembled against Krookodile's pokeball, and he coughed once more. One trip of his guard, and Flare's golurk sent a large fist into his gut. He fell to the ground at once, but managed to stay conscious despite himself.

"Hydro Pump!" he heard from his distant right. Trees began to sizzle to a crisp darkness one by one, thanks to the efforts of what sounded like a carracosta. Not a moment later did that familiar, rapidly approaching voice bellow "Frenzy Plant!" N looked up, and Flare's limbs were entangled in vines and tree roots. Golurk returned to its master at once and pulled at the roots in an effort to free her. Having her arms especially bound, she wouldn't be reaching for anymore pokeballs anytime soon. At her word Scolipede attempted an attack on the massive serperior that approached it, but it was brutally subdued by an awesome aerial ace attack. Type advantages made no difference whatsoever there. There was only one trainer N knew that was clever enough to teach her pokemon such an unexpected technique.

"Hil... da... " N smiled through the darkness and the rain, and was relieved as it grew darker still from Carracosta's efforts to kill the flames.

"Eh?" said Flare, bringing her struggles to a halt. Golurk still did its best to pry apart the tenacious roots that bound its master, but it soon grew tired and sensed at once that its master had other things in mind.

She managed one look at Hilda's face before the last tree went out. There was no doubt in Flare's mind that this was the great hero herself in the flesh. It seemed as though luck itself stared her in the face in that instant, though that was too convenient. Not to mention it was Hilda's pokemon that thwarted her plan and subdued her in the first place. Flare hadn't counted on such a powerful, no, legendary trainer showing up quite literally out of nowhere. Logically if any trainer were the ultimate Plasma Hunter it was this one, and therefore had dibs on N.

Though that didn't seem to be her intent at all, as Hilda's obscured form wrapped one of N's arms around her shoulders and lifted him. Golurk may have broken a rib or two of his. The boss didn't say that N had to be brought in unscathed, just alive.

"I'm honored to have the privilege of being assisted by the hero and champion. You have my thanks, White Hero Hildegard."

"DON'T call me that!" said Hilda. That struck a nerve. At last Flare's lips curled into a scowl. Things had just become complicated.

Various rumors of the nature of Hilda's and N's relationship circled about the country. Seeing as Hilda basically brought down the whole of Team Plasma single-handedly, most people didn't bother to question their relationship. They were enemies, plan and simple. She won, and he fled with his tail between his legs. To those who were more familiar with them and their story, they came off as uneasy friends. Some people even theorized that they were lovers, severed by drastically opposing viewpoints. All of the above was likely to have a level of truth to it. That was the only obvious conclusion, but it wasn't good. Hilda was there to assist all right. She there to assist a fugitive responsible for the reprehensible act of murdering pokemon.

All the disgusting fame must have driven her good judgment straight to hell.

"Are you all right?" Hilda asked while beckoning Zebstrika over. They needed to escape before anyone else showed up. The more of a commotion they caused, the less likely she could help N escape.

She hopped on board Zebstrika the moment N was able to sit up and hold on, and took off, recalling Carracosta and Serperior as she did so. The rain had had died to a pesky drizzle, and the smoke that surrounded the area made it hard to see. That would at least buy them some cover, but Hilda had no clue which direction they were fleeing in, and they couldn't have even gone a mile before they were engulfed in a hideous dark wind that made her feel as though her skin were being turned inside out. Her and N fell to the ground, and Zebstrika howled in pain. Hilda recalled it, too, and fingered Reshiram's master ball. It would be the quickest and surest way out. It would also be a blatant invitation to follow her and N to the end of the country. She was rapidly approaching a point where she would be criminalized for assisting a fugitive. A point of not return, literally.

She had a choice to make between her good title and the right thing.

"Hildegard, is it?" a boastful male voice quipped from the silhouette of guy about her age. Something large floated beside him, which she figured to be the ghost pokemon that launched the attack. A ghost, was it? Zoroark stood the best chance, but she would have to leave it up to N to decide whether or not he wanted to fight. She clutched a dusk ball, ready to release Chandelure from its confines until she recognized her opponent to be a jellicent. Crap. Musharna also didn't stand a chance and Carracosta and Serperior were already exhausted. She would invite unwanted attention by calling upon Reshiram.

She'd either have to take a chance with Serperior, or N would have to fight. Neither option appealed to her at the moment.

"What's a big shot like you hangin' around with trash like that for?"

Once the dark wind cleared, Hilda realized that they managed to make it out of the smoke and into an area lit by street lamps. The guy who spoke resembled the woman she attacked earlier quite a bit, in both strength and looks. They wore the same type of uniform with the disturbing "P" with cross swords, the emblem of the illegal vigilante group that plead to deliver N's head on a silver platter to the world. Of all the rotten luck, to run into Plasma Hunters so soon.

"You'd better not push my buttons, Plasma Hunter. Reshiram has an appetite for idiots."

His barred his teeth, positively scathing at this point. N managed to pick himself up off the ground, clutching his pained ribs and abdomen. His legs shook, and one of his eyes was clamped tight as a fist. The golurk that got him was frightening in its power. The only pokemon Hilda had that stood a chance were Serperior and Reshiram. If she and Flare ever met again their rematch would be something else entirely. Frankly Hilda could do without such a reunion.

"All right... my friend," said N, groping at his pockets for a pokeball. Both of their faces went pale after the pointless pat down. There was one remaining ball in N's arsenal, the one he couldn't use. The one that would betray his location to more than just an obsessed group with a twisted sense of justice.

"Gone? No...o... " N only had Zekrom's master ball left. None other than the master could touch it. Golurk must have taken the others while N was distracted by the pain. To add insult to injury, N would finally know the pain of having his friends stolen from him. This may have served as a valuable lesson a year ago, but now it couldn't have come at a worse time. He was already torn, confused, and battered by the consequences of his past actions. It was punishment enough. There was no need for any of this. No need to take away his pokemon. No need to take away his life. Everything about this was wrong, and Hilda was not going to stand for it. As long as she had the title of hero imposed upon her, she would be just that.

Hilda whispered choked apologies to Serperior's pokeball as she released her tired pokemon. She had one sitrus berry to make it tolerable. It gnawed on the healing treat eagerly and stared down its opponent with glowing red eyes that meant business.

"Giga Drain," said Hilda, and Serperior slithered out at max speed. Jellicent had an air advantage, so each attempt to confine it and drain it of its energy was dodged. At this rate Serperior would wind up tying itself into a knot, but if nothing else it did have the type advantage.

"You're pathetic," said the Plasma Hunter with a smirk.

"Don't get cocky, Corona," Flare shouted through Corona's cross-transciever. Great, they were a pair. Probably siblings or something. It would be awhile yet before Serperior's roots became weak enough for Golurk to pry apart. That was part of the reason Serperior lost so much energy. She wouldn't be joining them physically any time soon, but if she managed to keep her brother from doing anything stupid then she was just as good as there.

"Butt out, sis!" he shouted back. What do you know, she guessed right. Then Corona turned his attention right back toward the battle. "Use Water Pulse!"

Jellicent let out a sickening moan, followed by a ring of water that crashed against Serperior's head. That attack confused the massive grass snake into ramming its head against the ground twice before it successfully executed a Leaf Blade attack that would decide the battle. Serperior was about as fighting fit as a wet sandile at that point. Hilda sadly recalled her prized pokemon and hoped against all odds that Jellicent was Corona's only pokemon.

Of course it wasn't, though things seemed great at first. His next choice was Sawk, a pokemon Musharna could actually face. That was, until Sawk used retaliate. Musharna's speed and defense were not top notch on this team. It was more of a strategic choice, though that strategy was a complete failure this time around. She called upon Chandelure, her last fully healthy pokemon, to use its fire against Sawk. It was effective, and it really seemed that fortune favored her when Corona was no longer looking amused, and called upon Leavanny, whom she suspected was his last pokemon because it was basically a death sentence at that point. What was it that Flare said? Don't get cocky? Easier said than done.

Leavanny's agility and evasion deserved a lot of credit, and the only feasible strategy here was getting Chandelure to exhaust all of its fire type moves. Hilda wasn't stupid enough to be baited into a trap she often set against trainers when she was at a type disadvantage. She instructed Chandelure to cast shadow ball, which would track Leavanny's movements until it hit. And Leavanny would get tired after awhile of dodging.

"Save Leavanny the pain and admit your defeat. I'm leaving with N even if a hundred stupid Plasma Hunters come after us," said Hilda, staring Corona down. She wasn't bluffing. Her opponent was no joke. If she allowed that Leavanny the opportunity to boost its attack even a little then its power would be a force to be reckoned with regardless of the type it was facing. Even so, she had Reshiram, and the only pokemon strong enough to bring down the legendary white dragon was in the possession of the man she was saving.

"Why?" said Corona, his thick brows twitching, lip curled with contempt. "Are you completely out of your mind? What could you possibly have to gain by protecting a criminal? A murderer! You could lose everything!"

"Everything?" Corona failed to recall Leavanny in time, and once the agile bug could no longer keep ahead of the malicious shadow ball that barreled forward, it was squeezed by a dark fist until the shrill of its cries died into the night, and it fainted. Hilda could feel N sob behind her, and she bit her lip.

"Everything?" she repeated, as though trying to cut the venom of the word from her skin. "You call this everything? You look me in the face and call me a hero, yet ignore my cause entirely? Disregard my experience, my knowledge, and for what? To have someone convenient to blame for all of Team Plasma's crimes?"

"He was their king!"

"I've had this argument too many times!" she shouted, bringing all breaths that surrounded her to a full stop. "We're leaving. Pursue me and I'll let Reshiram decide what to do with you next time."

Corona fell to his knees as the pair walked off into the night. He vowed to end them both.

TBC


End file.
